Orton, Peterborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orton |
|
|---|---|
 Orton Hall |
|
 Orton
|
|
| Unitary authority |
|
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Peterborough |
| Postcode district | PE2 |
| Dialling code | 01733 |
| Police | Cambridgeshire |
| Fire | Cambridgeshire |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
|
Orton is a large area in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. It's about 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Peterborough city centre, located south of the River Nene. The main A1 passes through Orton, making it easy to travel to and from.
Orton grew from two older villages, Orton Waterville and Orton Longueville. This happened when Peterborough was chosen to be a "new town" in the 1960s. A "new town" is a specially planned town built to help house more people and create new jobs. Orton is historically part of Huntingdonshire.
Today, Orton includes many smaller areas, all starting with "Orton," like Orton Malborne. These areas are grouped together for local elections.
Contents
History of Orton
Orton was chosen as the second main area for Peterborough's "new town" expansion in 1967. It includes the old villages of Orton Waterville and Orton Longueville. Over time, new areas like Orton Brimbles, Orton Goldhay, Orton Malborne, Orton Southgate, Orton Winyates, Orton Wistow, and Orton Northgate were built. All these areas are south of the River Nene.
Like many new towns, Orton has lots of green spaces and trees. The A605 runs through Orton, connecting Peterborough to the A1(M) motorway. This motorway goes all the way from London to Edinburgh.
When Orton was being built, new health centres were opened. The first was in Herlington, and then another at the Orton Centre. Later, a new, bigger surgery opened at Clayton in Orton Goldhay.
In 2001, the only big supermarket in Orton closed. However, in 2008, a new Co-operative store opened in the main shopping area, which is now called Ortongate.
Exploring Orton's Areas
Orton is made up of several unique parts. Let's take a look at some of them.
Orton Brimbles
This area has a mix of homes built in the 1980s. Orton Brimbles is home to some of the first houses in Orton that were designed to use solar power. It also has Ormiston Meadows Academy, a primary school that helps children with physical disabilities.
You'll find a small group of shops here, including a post office. There's also a community centre where local groups meet.
Orton Goldhay
Orton Goldhay was developed in the mid-1970s. It's mostly homes, but it also has the main shopping area for Orton, called the Orton Centre. One of Orton's two secondary schools, Ormiston Bushfield Academy, is also located here. Many of the homes in Orton Goldhay were built for people moving from London.
Orton Longueville
Before the 1960s, Orton Longueville was a separate village. It has Nene Park Academy, a secondary school. The "village" part of Orton Longueville still has many old buildings, including Orton Hall, which is now a hotel. During the Second World War, Orton Hall was used as a camp for prisoners of war.
You can also see old thatched cottages, a cricket field, and the 13th-century Holy Trinity Church. The church has old monuments and a rare wall painting. There's a village green and a long path lined with giant redwood trees, known as the 'Long Walk'.
After the Second World War, many more homes were built in Orton Longueville. A major road, the Nene Parkway (A1260), now cuts through the area. The original village is to the west of this road, and newer homes and businesses are to the east.
Orton Malborne
Orton Malborne was also developed from the mid-1970s. It has local shops and a community centre. There are two primary schools that serve the area. The Lime Academy educational trust has a special campus here for children.
Several churches meet in Orton Malborne, including St. Luke's Roman Catholic church and the Orton Gospel Hall.
Orton Northgate
This is the newest and fastest-growing part of Orton. Orton Northgate was built on land that used to be part of the East of England Showground. The local church for Orton Northgate is St Andrew's in Alwalton.
Orton Southgate
Orton Southgate is mainly an area for businesses, with offices and factories for companies like ComparetheMarket.com and Amazon. It also has a housing area. Some land here was sold by the East of England Showground for more homes, connecting different parts of the area.
Orton Waterville
Orton Waterville is one of the original "Ortons" and still feels like a village. It has many old thatched and stone cottages. The 13th-century St Mary's Church is also here. Orton Waterville once had its own railway station, but both the station and the railway line are now closed.
Orton Wistow
Orton Wistow was built in the 1980s. It is next to the beautiful Ferry Meadows Country Park and the Nene Valley Railway, a heritage railway where you can ride on old trains. Orton Wistow Primary School is located in this area.
Getting Around Orton
Orton is served by several bus services. The Citi 1 bus runs frequently from Orton to the city centre. Route 60 connects Orton Malborne with other areas. Stagecoach also operates services that link Orton Waterville with Peterborough Queensgate bus station and other towns.
Another bus service, the X4, travels between Northampton and Peterborough, with stops along Oundle Road and in Orton Waterville village.
Images for kids
-
Giant hogweed, which has since been removed from the area.
